Beyond Curry: Daal Tadka

If there is one dish that's common through the extreme diversity of Indian cuisine, it's daal (lentils). Rich and poor, festival fare or frugal meal, it's the great leveller of Indian food.

In India, the word daal refers to the lentil as well as the finished dish. There are about five or six commonly used daals and countless dishes that we create out of them.

In fact, so popular is daal in Indian cuisine that the term daal-chaval (lentils and rice) is commonly used as a synonym for food.

For most of vegetarian India, it is a vital source of protein. And a dish that finds its way to the table every day, sometimes for all three meals. We also love to cook our meats with lentils. And some delicious, robust dishes emerge from this wonderful pairing.

Its mild, understated nature makes daal a blank canvas of sorts, for the various regions of India to embellish in their own unique way. In fact, there are so many ways to make daal; so many combinations and cultural variations that it could take you a good part of the year to eat your way through them all, without a hint of routine setting in.

A simple starting point to the world of daals is the daal tadka.

To give a dish a tadka is simply to temper it with ghee (clarified butter) and spices. When the spices enter the hot ghee, they infuse their rich flavors into it. This heady, perfumed oil is then poured over the daal where it spits and sizzles quite dramatically as it permeates the calm yellow concoction.
The heady aroma and the wild hiss and sputter of the tadka is kitchen theater at its best. And the main act, you will soon discover is worthy of many encores.

About the author: Denise Dsilva Sankhe is a writer & creative director by profession. But that's only when she isn't eating her way across India. She recreates this delicious cuisine in her Mumbai home, which she shares with her newly-married husband, who has long since given up his determination to have salads for dinner.

Procedures

1

For the Daal: Wash and drain tuvar daal in a large fine mesh strainer. Heat ghee in pressure cooker over high heat until shimmering. Add asafoetida, turmeric, and washed daal. Cook, stirring frequently till the ghee coats the daal, about 20 seconds.

2

Add water and salt to taste. Close pressure cooker, increase heat to high, and heat until pressure cooker is pressurized to high pressure. Reduce heat to low and cook ten minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to dissipate.

3

Open pressure cooker and break up daal with a whisk. Set aside while you make the tadka.

4

For the Tadka: Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed non-stick skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Reduce heat to medium.

5

Add mundu chillies, mustard seeds, and whole cumin seed (stand away from skillet as the seeds pop). Wait until seeds sizzle, about 10 seconds, then add curry leaves and stir. Cook until the curry leaves sizzle, about 10 seconds longer, then add asafoetida, red chilli and roasted cumin powder. Stir vigorously and immediately transfer all contents to the daal and lightly stir. Do not mix thoroughly. Some of the ghee should float on top. Serve immediately with white rice, Indian bread (roti) or as an accompaniment to any Indian meal.

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About the Author

Born half Anglo-Indian and half Manglorean Catholic in multi-cultural Mumbai- India, Denise has been surrounded by a wonderful assortment of all things delicious from a very early age.

Her penchant for food has led her on many amazing journeys across India where she charms strangers into sharing unique recipes and discovers a little more about her country with each bite.

She is fuelled by an intense love for food and a determination to keep the food traditions of her ancestors alive. A motley bunch of Anglo-Indians whose cuisine is a unique combination of Indian spices and western flavours; and Mangloreans who are famed for their delicious coastal fare.

She shares her favourite recipes and love for all things deliciously Indian in her column- Beyond Curry. Simple recipes that capture the real taste of India. The food served every day in homes across India. And some unique family favorites you wonât find in a restaurant. Most of the recipes have stories around them- like all good food does.

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